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What is helmet therapy?

Helmet therapy, also known as helmet or cranial orthosis, is a treatment to mold a baby’s skull into shape and help with slight imperfections. It is a painless therapy that does not cause discomfort to the baby. The treatment usually starts when the baby is five months old and continues for three months, depending on their need.

What are the conditions that can be treated with helmet therapy?

Positional skull deformity
The shape of a baby’s skull becomes prone to changing under three conditions: brachycephaly, deformational plagiocephaly, and NICUcephaly. These conditions occur when an infant spends a lot of time in one position and develops a flat spot or uneven appearance. In such cases, brain growth is not affected.

Craniosynostosis
Craniosynostosis is the abnormal fusion of the bony plates in a baby’s skull. It not only causes a shape deformity of the head but also affects brain growth. This condition requires surgery that may or may not be followed by helmet therapy.

How does helmet therapy work?

The idea behind helmet therapy is that wearing a helmet stops the baby from lying on the flattened area of their head. In addition, to prevent flat spots on your baby’s head, always put your baby to sleep on their back. The helmet should be worn at least 22 hours a day and can be taken off and cleaned when the baby needs bathing. It should also be noted that helmet therapy best works when the skull and brain of the baby are actively growing, and it won’t help after the baby turns two.

Is my child a candidate for helmet therapy?

• You should consider helmet therapy for your baby if:
• Your baby is diagnosed with brachycephaly or deformational plagiocephaly
• Your baby is less than 12 months old
• If your baby has undergone endoscopy treatment to correct craniosynostosis

At Xtremity, our specialists use the most advanced technology to scan the 3-dimensional shape of your child’s head. Then we further design and create a custom-fitted helmet for your baby under very strict supervision. Finally, we provide careful and frequent monitoring of your child and ensure that their skull is reshaping correctly. So if you are looking for a head orthosis for your child in Dubai, book an appointment with us.